The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically classifying and reorganizing a processed long length of film connected together with a series of separate rolls of exposed film having different frame sizes, into a plurality of lengths of film each having the same frame size.
Generally, in the processing laboratories, a large number of rolls of exposed film for photograph contained in the patrones forwarded to the laboratories are taken out of the patrones in a dark room and the separate rolls of exposed film in a series are joined or spliced together into a long length of film for subjecting them to such processes as developing-drying through an automatic film processor. However, at present in most popular 35 mm rolls of exposed film contained in patrones forwarded to the laboratories there are two frame sizes, namely Leica size and one-half of the Leica size, the so-called "half size", and also the frame size of roll of exposed film is not indicated usually on the patrone or the invoice. Accordingly, the frame size of each of rolls of exposed film cannot be discriminated until the rolls of film have been developed, and thus a long length of film in which a series of separate rolls of exposed film have been joined or spliced together for processing in the automatic processor contains films having different frame sizes, that is, ordinarily, said long length of film contains films of Leica size and films of half size together in the mixed state.
Accordingly, in order to print the pictures continuously and efficiently by an automatic printing machine using a processed long length of film which has passed an automatic processor, the operators must carry out the works for discriminating the frame sizes of films in said processed long length of film visually one by one, and cutting and classifying it and then reorganizing the classified films so as to have a plurality of lengths of film for printing each having the same size. Thus, there are required a considerable time and labour to deal with a large quantity of film in the progress of work before printing in the processing laboratories.